1500 Shops Submerged By Flood At Electronics Market Onitsha … goods worth N800m damaged … As traders cry

No fewer than 1500 lock-up shops were yesterday night submerged by flood at the Onitsha International Electronics Market during a heavy down pour that lasted for over seven hours.
According to the president of the market, Mr. Izuchukwu Okoye, “we lost about N800million worth to the flood”.
“The flood came into the market when the volume of the flood could not be contained by the drainages along the Onitsha/Asaba expressway.
Goods damaged were mainly from A and B lines and we appeal to the State Government to come to our rescue”, Okoye stated.
Contributing, the Secretary of the market Comrade Damian Ogudike said, “we pay our taxes and levies to the State Government. The drainages are the problems and the expectation is that the state government should work on the drainages to be higher than they are now”.
“You can see the traders insisting that the money they paid to the government should be refunded to them since their problems in the market are not being solved”, the secretary revealed.
In his reaction the Public Relation Officer, PRO, Mr. Samuel Ikechukwu Onwuama recalled that this was the third time it happened hinting that the second time damaged goods worth N600million.
According to a trader, Mr. Chukwudi Ochinanwata, “I lost over N200,000 worth of goods to the flood.
Another trader, Mr. Dominic Okey Mba, “millions were lost and the state government should assist to control the flood that always submerge the market”.
Ebuka Ezeh said, “I lost N200million worth of wares to the flood and it has happened before.
A food seller Mrs. Chinwendu Iwunwa said, “my bags of rice have gone to the flood”.


PIX 1: Traders evacuating their wares from the flooded shops
PIX 2: Some of the shops being opened to evacuate the wares
PIX 3: Flood being evacuated by some of the traders